Fiber optic telecommunications technology is becoming more prevalent in part because service providers want to deliver high bandwidth communication capabilities to customers. A typical fiber optic telecommunications system includes a network of fiber optic cables (e.g., distribution cables, branch cables, drop cables) routed from a central location (e.g., a service provider's central office) to remote locations in close proximity to subscribers. The fiber optic telecommunications systems also can include additional components, such as fiber distribution hubs housing optical splitters for splitting optical signals and drop terminals providing interconnect locations for facilitating connecting subscribers to the fiber optic network.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0233506A1, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a fiber optic network including a distribution cable having factory terminated breakout locations. Each breakout location includes a factory installed multi-fiber connector adapted for connection to a connectorized branch cable in the field. At the factory, loop-back connectors are connected to the multi-fiber connector to facilitate testing the breakout locations when the distribution cable is installed in the field.
For example, upon installation of the distribution cable, a test signal can be injected through the distribution cable from a first location (e.g., the central office), transmitted through the breakout location, looped back at the loop back connector, and received at the first location. In this way, the testing process is made more efficient by allowing testing from one location.